


problems with pastry

by sanhasbinu



Category: ASTRO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Romance, i also really like myungjin so here we are, i really like cooking i really like pastries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-09 02:48:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10402029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanhasbinu/pseuds/sanhasbinu
Summary: Myungjun discovers a newfound passion for pastry through a mysterious dessert blog he finds online, but it isn't long before he also discovers that baking really isn't his forte. He finds himself chatting with the writer of that blog and it's quite endearing at first. But it also isn't long before he finds himself falling for the baker down the street who just happens to have an affinity for pastry. Pastry is problematic.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A twist on a prompt discovered through meetcuteproject.tumblr and inspired by the almond pastry I had for breakfast this morning.

Myungjun was pretty sure that he never wanted to bake again. Okay, yes, he definitely _wanted _to bake, but keeping away from the oven was the smarter decision if he didn’t want to risk burning the kitchen down again. Tossing the charred pan back into the sink where it belonged, he squinted and waved his hands around in an attempt to clear the air of the dense smoke caused by his failed attempt at cooking. It smelled absolutely repulsing and he needed some fresh air. Not to mention a proper meal. Throwing on a pair of loose sweats and slipping into whatever shoes was nearest to the door, he left the apartment in a hurry. The sour smell of burnt cookie was too terrible this time around to handle. Letting loose a heavy sigh, he set off towards the bakery two blocks down without a second thought.__

__Ever since he discovered that dessert blog last week, his newfound dream of becoming a self-learned (or at least adequate) baker had crumbled into spendingregular nights at the local bakery. His sweet tooth was insatiable. It was extremely lucky when Myungjun had quickly discovered that leftover pastries sold at half-price there starting 4pm._ _

__Walking down the sidewalk, he pulled out his phone and reopened the last link he’d had open in the browser. The screen flashed bright with the image of a perfectly baked cream puff, making Myungjun’s mouth water uncontrollably. Titled “Dream Desserts with JJ,” this recipe blog had become Myungjun’s recent obsession. Reading through the blog’s posts was something he could do for hours at a time. A guilty pleasure._ _

__In any case, the recipes seemed so simple at first, yet he could never get past the first few steps without destroying some part of the kitchen. The author of the blog inspired him beyond measure, but reminded of the countless pans he’d burned in the past few days Myungjun decided once and for all that he’d never touch the oven again. It really wasn’t worth it._ _

__He shuffled straight towards the pile of leftover pastries as soon as he entered the shop, sifting through the pile in search of his usual fix. He wasn’t exactly sure what the bakers put into the dough but the sweet glaze and almond filling and flaky crust were absolutely irresistible. Although he couldn’t shake the slightly stale texture (they were leftovers, after all), a side of iced coffee or warm milk made it taste pretty decent and……. _there weren’t any left _. Running a hand through his hair in exasperation and defeat, he turned around to leave but instead found himself face to face with possibly the most beautiful person he’d ever seen in his life.___ _

____“OH, I’m so sorry,” The guy spoke, scratching his head sheepishly. His voice was soft yet deep, warm and endearing. “I didn’t mean to surprise you like that, I was just wondering if you needed help looking for something.”_ _ _ _

____Myungjun snapped out of his trance when he realized that he’d just been asked a question. “I’m sorry, what?”_ _ _ _

____“I was wondering if you needed help with something. Did you want a particular pastry?” The boy shook his blonde hair out of his eyes as he reposed the question. Myungjun decided that this was extremely attractive._ _ _ _

____“Right, do you have any more of those almond pastries left? The ones with glaze over the top.” Myungjun internally sighed in relief that he was able to regain his composure. If it wasn’t for the bakery’s signature uniform, he would never have realized that the short blonde in front of him was an employee there. In fact, tonight was the first time he'd seen this guy working in the bakery. Was he a new hire?_ _ _ _

____“Ah sorry, we actually ran out of those early this morning. They’re getting more popular than we initially thought they’d be.” The guy laughed, eyes curving into sparkling crescents when he smiled. Myungjun decided that this too, was extremely attractive. “They’re my favorite here, the filling and the—“_ _ _ _

____“—Flaky crust!” Myungjun said in unison with him. The both of them burst out laughing at their shared sentiments over a pastry._ _ _ _

____“I’m Jinwoo, by the way.” Jinwoo shook his hair out of his eyes again as he reached his hand out to shake Myungjun’s. “Sorry that there aren’t any almond pastries left. If you want, the pecan rolls taste just as amazing and there's a few of those left."_ _ _ _

____“That sounds great. I don’t know how this bakery does it! See there’s this dessert blog that I’ve been really interested in as of late, but rather than helping me with my cooking it made me realize how terrible I am at it. So I come here for pastries instead. Sweet, delicious, and discounted!”_ _ _ _

____Jinwoo laughed, amused by Myungjun’s enthusiasm. “Sounds like a pretty solid routine. So are you going to get anything?”_ _ _ _

____Staring down the pile of bread and sweet rolls in from of him, Myungjun grabbed two of whatever looked tastiest and nodded at his selection. This would do. “I’ll just get these.”_ _ _ _

____“Okay, let me ring you up.”_ _ _ _

____They headed up to the register together, Myungjun handing over a crumpled five dollar bill to pay. “So are you new here? I’ve been here every night and this is the first time I’ve run into you.” Myungjun asked as Jinwoo counted out the change._ _ _ _

____Jinwoo looked up with a bright smile as he pushed the pastries and change over the counter. “I’m one of the head bakers, so I’m always in the back. Probably why customers don’t see me as much.”_ _ _ _

____“You’re a baker?” Myungjun’s mouth hung open in surprise. He’d never have expected the boy in front of him to be a baker. “So you make these? All the rolls? The almond pastries too? You’re a genius!!”_ _ _ _

____“No, I wouldn’t say that.” Jinwoo replied, turning a slight tinge of pink at the sudden compliment. “But yeah, we do make all the stuff here at the bakery. I actually came up with the almond pastry recipe… I happen to run a blog myself.”_ _ _ _

____“Attractive, blonde, _and _a pastry genius? You’re amazing."___ _ _ _

______It was silent for a moment as their eyes met, Myungjun belatedly realizing that he’d really just said that out loud._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Haha, ha, well thanks for the bread! Gotta get going, maybe I’ll catch you later?” Myungjun broke the ice, grabbing his bread and change to hurriedly scurry out the bakery door._ _ _ _ _ _

______Myungjun was pretty sure that he’d just made the most awkward first impression, and he was also pretty sure that he might have to find a new bakery to get dinner at tomorrow night. Okay, yes, he definitely _wanted _to go back and talk more with the cute blonde baker he’d just met, but keeping away from the almond pastries might just be the smarter choice for now.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Walking back down the sidewalk towards home, he took out a roll from the paper bag and bit into it. He had no idea what was in it but it was _extremely _delicious.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Nevermind, he was definitely going back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe baking isn't such a terrible idea after all. I mean, eleventh time's the charm right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this during class (I couldn't focus on my work at all today lol) so apologies in advance if there are any errors. it's a short chapter but hopefully it makes sense. thankyas<3

Myungjun mentally pinched himself when he found himself back on the blog later that night. Yes, he'd promised himself he'd never try baking again, but what harm could a little reading do? He wasn't _that_  obsessed.

Logging into the blog site, he browsed through the feed in search of any new recipes that he'd yet to see. Just his luck, there was a new recipe by JJ that had just been posted seconds ago. Myungjun clicked excitedly on the link without a second thought.

The first thought that sprang into his mind as he read through the post was simply that the owner of this Dream Desserts blog was someone he could definitely respect. He marveled at the images that had been uploaded, amazed at how easily one could create such masterpieces from scratch. This new cream puff recipe... Myungjun couldn't help but feel _slightly_ tempted. The recipe seemed easy enough to follow. Maybe the kitchen deserved another try.

No, no. Shaking his head in disapproval of his own thoughts, Myungjun convinced himself to turn the phone off and just go back to bed. This was a waste of time, not to mention that he had work tomorrow morning. He pulled the covers over his head and curled up in an attempt to dispel all thoughts of dessert. But the cream puffs were calling him.

Distressed, Myungjun kicked the blankets away and picked up his phone once more. Was this cream puff really worth setting his apartment on fire? Hm... _Maybe_.

Logging in once more, Myungjun was just about to check the recipe again when he noticed a tab he'd never seen before at the top of the page. Curious at the new addition he clicked on it and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a Help and FAQ page. To further his delight, there was a link through which he could chat with the writer JJ himself.

Myungjun smiled, feeling just a tad bit encouraged. Maybe he'd be able to bake after all.

  * ✩mstar777✩: _hi. i just wanted to say that i'm a huge fan, your recipes are seriously amazing. i want to ask though, i've tried so many of them, but i end up burning everything every time! do you have any tips for beginners?_



Satisfied with his message, Myungjun placed his phone back on the nightstand and curled up under the covers for the third time that night. Yet just as he closed his eyes, a loud chime sounded from beside him. Sitting up quickly he grabbed the phone and stared at the bright screen. There was already a reply.

  * JJ:  _hi, mstar! thank you so much for your subscription. to answer your question, baking really comes better with practice. greasing the pan with a spray and presenting a timer are both easy ways to help prevent burning pastries in particular though!_



Breaking into a smile, Myungjun rushed to type out a reply. 

  * ✩mstar777✩: _wow! i wasn't expecting a reply this quickly– you must be very dedicated. but yes i completely forgot to grease the pans, that's probably why i destroyed them so quickly, haha. thank you for your help!_


  * JJ: _no problem. by the way, there's a recipe for strawberry tarts that i posted a few weeks ago. it's a pretty simple recipe that is perfect for beginners! you should check it out. hope this was helpful._


  * ✩mstar777✩: _i'll definitely give it a try._


  * JJ: _hopefully you won't burn it this time, haha. let me know how it goes :)_


  * ✩mstar777✩: _i will! thanks for the tips._



Myungjun felt somewhat rejuvenated as he logged out. He decided that this JJ person was definitely one of the nicest people he'd ever met. Perhaps he was ready to give baking another try. Well, eleventh time's the charm, right?

Myungjun did a double take when he glanced up at the clock. It was already past 2am and he had to wake up for work at 7. Sighing, he settled back onto his pillow and closed his eyes, thoughts of warm pastry filling his imagination.

He was _definitely_ stopping by the bakery to get breakfast tomorrow morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want pastries rn. but then again i always want pastries. who doesn't?  
> look out for the next chapter, in which there will be myungjin and even more pastry.  
> it will be a slightly longer chapter than the previous two. i warn you in advance.  
> thanks ily<3
> 
>  
> 
> *PLEASE ALSO LMK IF THE THE ONLINE CHAT WAS EASY TO FOLLOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW I CAN FORMAT IT BETTER I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baking might not be such a good idea (yet), but denim jackets definitely are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almond pastries really are delicious. Writing this made me want to eat some, no lie.

Myungjun woke up the next morning groggy and clearly disheveled, which made it all the more relieving that he’d still managed to wake up in time. He reminded himself not to stay up that late on work nights again as he got ready to go out. The sluggish feeling that came with sleep-deprivation was extremely unpleasant.

He was just about to head out, hand already on the door handle, when he stopped to suddenly turn back around. Myungjun dashed back into the bedroom and slid to a halt in front of the mirror to give his outfit another quick lookdown. Was this too casual?

Scratching his head in uncertainty, he took off the sweatshirt he'd been wearing and dove into the closet. Myungjun brightened immediately when he came across the denim jacket he’d treated himself to last weekend. Slipping it on, he reinspected the new look in satisfaction, striking a few poses just for the heck of it. He decided that the jacket made his shoulders look broader and was pleased that the money he’d spent on it was not in vain. He looked spiffy.

Feeling much more awake now, Myungjun headed down the street with a skip in his step. He started walking just a little bit faster when the bakery sign entered into his field of vision, the thought of freshly baked pastries (and a certain blonde) piquing his excitement.

As he came face to face with the bakery’s glass door, Myungjun checked the reflection in front of him to make sure that everything was in the right place. Hair? Check. Jacket? Check. Smile?

“Kim Myungjun, you’re looking a bit handsome today, hm?” Myungjun flashed himself a grin through the glass and added a wink for good measure. _Definitely check._

Myungjun swung the door wide open and entered the bakery in all confidence and grandeur, but stopped short in his tracks when he met eyes with the lanky teen standing behind the register.

“Hyung, what are you wearing?”

Myungjun blinked.

“Hyung, you look like a middle schooler in that jacket!”

“Yoon Sanha!” Myungjun dashed over to the counter and delivered a swift blow to the boy’s shoulder. If Sanha hadn't been so tall Myungjun definitely would have aimed for the back of his head.

“That hurt!! You shouldn't hit employees, I can sue you!” Sanha whined. “I refuse to sell you bread today.”

Myungjun rolled his eyes. “That's too bad. It's a shame you’ll be losing me as a customer then. I’d say goodbye to my paycheck right now if I were you!”

Grinning, Myungjun watched the smug look on Sanha face slowly shift to one of horror. He’d gotten to know Sanha well, perhaps too well, through the many nights he’d been visiting the bakery as of late. The kid was adorable and had an innocent heart for sure, but was really sometimes just a pain in the butt. But he was adorable.

“No, no, forget what I said, buy all the pastries you want! You can take all these coupons too but just don’t tell Jinwoo-hyung or he’ll–”

“Sanha! I need the almonds!”

Myungjun’s ears perked up at the sound of that familiar voice. Sanha ducked under the counter (it really was amazing that such a tall kid could disappear so quickly but that wasn’t Myungjun’s concern at the moment) and reemerged holding a bag of almonds, scurrying into the back room to deliver them to his boss.

Hearing a flurry of hushed whispers Myungjun peered over the counter in curiosity, only to see a massive puff of flour explode from the door out of which a coughing Sanha emerged.

“What happened?” Myungjun reached over to help him brush his shirt off, flour flying everywhere.

“It's okay, everyone!” Sanha looked up and waved at all of the staring customers in reassurance, a bright smile plastered across his face. “Touched something I wasn't supposed to, apparently. Sorry about that!”

Sanha pouted as he turned back to Myungjun. “Baking is hard! One mistake, and everything explodes in your face. Literally.”

“Tell me about it.” Myungjun rolled his eyes. “Hey, is Jinwoo here by any chance?” Sanha’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “You know Jinjin-hyung?”

“Jinjin….?”

“Ah that’s just a nickname we call him sometimes. Have you met him before?”

“Kind of.” Myungjun rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, recalling their exchange when he was at the bakery last night. “Hey, Sanha, I should get to work now. Do you have any almond pastries in stock? That's what I came here for anyways.”

Sanha’s face fell. “Sorry hyung, they’re still in the oven… But, I can get Jinwoo-hyung if you needed to talk to him about something, JINW–”

Sanha was interrupted by another puff of flour erupting from the doorway behind him. Myungjun grabbed Sanha’s apron, pulling him away from the cloud just in time. He was sure that he heard what sounded like muffled cries of “Dongmin, NO!” as he waved yet more flour out of the air.

“It’s fine, looks like you guys have your hands full anyways. I’ll just grab an iced coffee and go. The usual.”

“One iced hazelnut coffee for Myungjun, coming right up!” Sanha piped up cheerily as he pulled out a plastic cup.

“It’s _hyung_ , you dork!”

———————

Myungjun couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed as he sipped at his drink, swiveling around and around in his chair behind the desk. Jinwoo was probably overwhelmed with the fiasco that the bakery had been that morning, but it would have been nice to catch a glimpse of him even for a moment…

Nevertheless it was definitely a relief in itself that Sanha didn't dig deeper into the reason behind Myungjun’s outfit. Myungjun knew he looked good that morning, but explaining to the kid that he found his baker boss attractive definitely wasn't in his best interests and–

“Hey, I think you might break the chair spinning around in it like that.”

Myungjun snapped out of his momentary trance and looked up to see a smiling face in front of him, complete with messy-blonde hair and a very noticeable streak of flour across his nose.

“Jinwoo? What are you doing here?” Setting his iced coffee down he leaned over to peer at the small brown bag Jinwoo was clutching tightly in his hand.

“Sanha told me that you worked two blocks down from the bakery…” Jinwoo replied, looking around in both surprise and amusement. “Although he did not mention that you worked at the gym.”

“Are you surprised? I won't lie, my guns are pretty impressive.” Myungjun flexed both his arms as he stood up, even though he knew it was obvious that there really wasn't much to show under the denim jacket. The grin on Jinwoo flashed back was worth it, though. “I just work the desk, don't worry.”

Jinwoo laughed. Myungjun decided that he really liked the sound of Jinwoo’s laugh.

All that besides, he really needed to sate his curiosity. “So what's in the bag?”

Jinwoo silently placed the small package on the counter and pushed it towards Myungjun with a knowing grin. The smell of almonds and brown sugar hit Myungjun’s nose the moment he opened it, little tendrils of steam rising from the still-warm almond pastries the bag in front of him contained.

“Are these…” He looked up with wide eyes at Jinwoo.

“They’re fresh out of the oven,” Jinwoo confirmed, his eyes curving up into those sparkling crescents Myungjun couldn't help but smile back at. “I felt terrible that you didn't get any last night or this morning, so I thought I’d just drop some off… Sanha did mention that you happen to be one of our most valuable customers.”

“That I am.” Myungjun nodded in affirmation. “I’m definitely gonna enjoy these. Like, right now.” His mouth was watering.

Motioning towards the pastries, Jinwoo encouraged Myungjun to try them. Picking one up excitedly, Myungjun took a big bite. The flaky crust melted in his mouth, warm glaze sweet and sticky. There was no questioning that this was _by far_ Myungjun’s favorite pastry ever.

“Its sho good!” Myungjun managed to say, his mouth full of almond pastry. “How mush do I owe you for dish?”

“What?”

Myungjun swallowed before repeating, “How much do I owe you for this?”

“Oh don't worry about it, it's on the house.” Jinwoo shook his hair out of his eyes. _Oof_ , Myungjun felt his heart skip a beat. “I should get going.”

“Right, you guys seemed especially busy this morning,” Myungjun raised his eyebrows, recalling the chaos that had ensued at the bakery earlier on. “The flour on your nose is a great indicator of that.”

The look on Jinwoo’s face was priceless, in the best way possible. He seemed to panic as he looked around for a mirror, his ears turning an adorable shade of bright red.

“Here wait, let me get that for you–” Myungjun reached over the counter to brush the streak of flour off of Jinwoo’s nose, realizing only afterwards how close they had just been to each other.

If possible, Jinwoo's ears seemed even more red than before.

“It’s all gone now, don’t worry!” Myungjun cheerily reassured him, although on the inside he was freaking out too. Just a tiny bit. “And you should get going, Mr. Baker.”

“Right. Right.” Jinwoo turned towards the door and took a few steps before taking a breath, seemingly gathering what seemed like courage. “Uh, by the way,”

“Hm?”

“I like your jacket.” With that, Jinwoo backed out with a hesitant but accomplished smile, disappearing out the doorway.

Myungjun grinned and took another bite out of the warm pastry. He knew the denim jacket was a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter sneak peak, myungjun prepares for battle against his oven. it's war.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Make pastry, not war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***normally i'd italicize the chats but considering that this chapter is completely comprised of this, i removed the italics to make it easier on the eyes :)
> 
> welcome to chatty backstory time, beware.  
> myungjun's battle against the oven has been moved to the next chapter though T_T  
> please bear with me

✩mstar777✩: there seem to be multiple strawberry tart recipes on your blog. which one should i use first? as a beginner, of course.

JJ: here's a link to the simplest one _ <dreamdesserts.blogblog.jj>_  
JJ: you can use premade puff pastry dough, it makes everything much easier to follow at first.  
JJ: hopefully this was of assistance :)

✩mstar777✩: thank you so much, again

✩mstar777✩: by the way, you're very speedy with replying. when do you find time to reply to all your fans?

JJ: to be completely honest, i'm not sure that i have any fans at all... haha you're the only reader to have asked me anything over these past few weeks, aside from a few senseless prank messages some anons have sent in.  
JJ: i was considering just taking the chatroom down.

✩mstar777✩: that's kind of drastic, no offense.  
✩mstar777✩: it's not my place to say anything when we've barely even talked once over the internet lol  
✩mstar777✩: but don't! you have no idea how inspirational your blog is! not to mention your blatant talent for recipes.

JJ: thank you, haha. i'll leave it up. is it your dream to become a baker?

✩mstar777✩: a proficient baker at least, yes. being able to bake my own pastries everyday? who wouldn't dream of that??? lol. professionally though... probably unrealistic.

JJ: would it be intrusive of me to ask what your real dream is?

✩mstar777✩: we've never met before and already these philosophical questions?????? the terror!!! my personal privacy!

JJ: please accept my apologies if that was too much! i'm really sorry, you don't have to reply to that.

✩mstar777✩: omg i was completely kidding..  
✩mstar777✩: it's fine, i'm fine!  
✩mstar777✩: hahaha

JJ: that was embarrassing..

✩mstar777✩: it's completely fine. my dream is actually to be..............  
✩mstar777✩: .........................  
✩mstar777✩: ..................

JJ: ??

✩mstar777✩: .......

JJ: is your keyboard.. broken?

✩mstar777✩: i'm creating suspense.

JJ: ...

✩mstar777✩: my dream is to be......................

JJ: dum dum dum

✩mstar777✩: ????????????

JJ: it's a drumroll  
JJ: for your suspense....

JJ: i'm sorry again, i really am terrible at interacting online like this

✩mstar777✩: you don't have to keep apologizing!  
✩mstar777✩: it's really fine, if anything i'd say that we're pretty much friends now which proves you haven't done _too_ terrible a job ;)

✩mstar777✩: the pastry apprentice and his master!

JJ: his?

✩mstar777✩: i am a guy  
✩mstar777✩: wait did you

✩mstar777✩: oh you thought i was

JJ: i guess i subconsciously assumed that you were.. haha 

JJ: i'm a guy too :)

✩mstar777✩: oh shoot  
✩mstar777✩: you thought i was a girl? i thought _you_ were a girl  
✩mstar777✩: LOL THIS IS SO WEIRD but also cool

✩mstar777✩: guys that bake are cool, wouldn't you agree??

JJ: i'm a guy  
JJ: i bake  
JJ: so yes, i guess i'd agree with that :)

✩mstar777✩: there's a bakery right near where i live and the head baker there is a guy too  
✩mstar777✩: he's blonde and personally i find him and his hair very attractive

✩mstar777✩: lol you probably didn't need to know that

✩mstar777✩: but the almond pastries there are to die for, anyhow

✩mstar777✩: my dream, by the way, is to be a singer.  
✩mstar777✩: i'm working that day job to save up :D  
✩mstar777✩: sorry, i know i'm rambling. are you still there?

JJ: yes, sorry  
JJ: i was just caught up thinking about something for a second..  
JJ: that's a really cool dream though :)

✩mstar777✩: thanks! i'll leave you to your thinking then... 

✩mstar777✩: if you didn't find me too annoying, maybe we can talk again sometime  
✩mstar777✩: i'm going to attack that tart recipe now so maybe that'll be a good excuse for it

JJ: sounds like a plan.. :)

✩mstar777✩: i'm off to war against pastry! wish me luck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jj knows too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;) i wonder who jj is, ;)))))))
> 
> i apologize for the sporadic updates as my schedule has been unforgiving as of late  
> thank you for supporting anyways, i still love pastries and i really love you all!!!!!!  
> look out for that next chapter<3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's wartime.  
> experience myungjun's battle against the final boss + another visit to the bakery in the aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the super delayed update. school, you know.  
> but we're back! :)

“It’s time,” Myungjun muttered under his breath. He approached the monster looming before him with all senses alert, imaginary caution signs screaming at him to be careful. 

The kitchen was a battlefield strewn with the aftermath of Myungjun’s great war. Bowls and spatulas laid lifelessly across the floor, flour clouding the tension filled air. Strawberry jam streaked the counter in all its sweet, sticky, and gruesome glory. It was a slaughterhouse, and Myungjun was the last man standing.

He stood facing the final boss. He was armed, ready, but nervous. Donning a frypan shield and oven-mitt gauntlet, the lone soldier approached the terrible creature and grabbed it by the handle. Letting loose a ferocious battlecry and yanking down on the handle with all the strength he had left, Myungjun skillfully avoided the oncoming blast of hot air by dodging to the side. And yes, it was time. 

He set his shield down and reached into the oven, pulling out the pan with an excited “HOO!” before setting it down gently on the sticky counter. 

Myungjun felt a swell of pride as he surveyed the prize in front of him. Yes, he’d done it. Sure… they might have been a bit soggy… very soggy, but they weren’t burnt. Myungjun found this to be an extremely wonderful moment. Scurrying over to his laptop he uncovered his mittened hands, freed fingers flying over the keyboard. 

  * ✩mstar777✩:  _ARE YOU THERE?_
  * ✩mstar777✩: _you're probably busy. but i finally found the time to tackle the oven again and the result was extraordinary. i have reason to believe that i was born to bake._


  * JJ: _hi ^o^_


  * ✩mstar777✩: _what's that?_


  * JJ: _it's a happy/smiling face emoji... is it hard to tell? T___T_


  * ✩mstar777✩: _no i know what it is, it's just that i didn't expect you to be the type of guy to use them_


  * JJ: _it's weird, i know.._


  * ✩mstar777✩: _on the contrary, my dear mentor. i think it's cute ;)_


  * JJ: _oh_
  * _JJ:  ^o^ ^o^_



Myungjun grinned.

  * ✩mstar777✩: _do you always have time to message your fans like this?_


  * JJ: _you're the only one ^o^_


  * JJ: _you're the only fan, i mean_
  * JJ:  _it's not that you're the only fan i message, it's just that you're my only fan._
  * JJ:  _i mean the proper explanation is that my work hours are concentrated in the early mornings and late nights so i'm mostly free in the evenings_


  * ✩mstar777✩:  _i was okay with the "you're the only fan i message" explanation ;)_
  * ✩mstar777✩: _those hours sound rough though, you have another job besides baking?_


  * JJ:  _um_
  * JJ: _it's not exactly another job besides baking... but.. the blog isn't really a job it's more of a hobby ^o^ so i have an actual job that's not this_
  * JJ: _so did you win the war?_


  * ✩mstar777✩: _the war??_


  * JJ: _war_


  * ✩mstar777✩: _OH my baking war_
  * ✩mstar777✩: _you remembered i said that??_
  * ✩mstar777✩: _i mean as i was saying before, i'm pretty sure now that baking is my true destiny. today's events confirmed it._


  * JJ: _i'm glad ^o^ did they taste good? you did make strawberry tarts right?_



Myungjun stopped typing for a moment, slowly lifting his fingers off of the keyboard. He had not yet an answer to that question. 

  * ✩mstar777✩: _i will be back in a moment with the answer to that question._



Setting the computer down, Myungjun had just begun heading back to the tarts when he stopped in his tracks. He spun around on his slipper-clad feet and shuffled back to his laptop, typing out another message before closing the tab.

  * ✩mstar777✩: b _y the way, do you ever use any other emojis besides ^o^? lol_


  * JJ: ...
  * JJ: _i'll come up with new favorites to use while you're gone ^o^_


  * ✩mstar777✩:  _^o^_



Heart feeling tingly for reasons he was yet unsure of, Myungjun got back up and went straight for the tarts. He was just about to pick one up when he had the sudden revelation that he needed to share this suspenseful moment with someone other than just himself. And he knew just the person. 

Myungjun hummed as he packed the ~~soggy~~  tarts into a plastic container, wrapping the entire package in a paper bag before heading out the door. He'd also made sure to slip on his denim jacket which if he were to be completely honest, was more for showing off to a specific someone rather than for protection against the weather. (It wasn't even remotely chilly outside that particular evening).

Myungjun mentally chided himself for being slightly disappointed when he heard a familiar "HYUNG!" as he walked into the bakery, the door's bells chiming and tinkling behind him.

"Sanha, you're here!" Myungjun chirped. He smiled brightly at the tall boy as he approached, attempting to dispel any signs of disappointment from his face. He'd learned as of late not to underestimate the kid, who'd been turning out to be a lot more perceptive than Myungjun had originally made him out to be. 

"Hyung, you're here too often. We'll go bankrupt because of you." Sanha said matter-of-factly, adjusting his beret. A new addition to the bakery's employee uniform, the beret was an accessory meant to exude some sort of Parisian boulangerie feel, but Myungjun had to admit that the only effect it has was making Sanha's face appear even more babylike than it already did. Though he also had to admit that a certain blonde baker would look _extremely_  cute in said beret. 

"Sanha, I don't think you understand how bankruptcy works." Myungjun walked up to the counter and placed the bag of tarts in front of Sanha. "My being one of your most frequent customers gives the business _more_  money. Bankruptcy is when-"

Sanha had already opened the bag and a tart was already halfway into his mouth when Myungjun looked up. "Yoon Sanha, that's not for yo-"

"Can I have one?" 

Myungjun and Sanha both looked to the kitchen doorway, from which a familiar face donning a white cap emerged. Myungjun's eyes caught a glimpse of brown under the cap and his jaw dropped. It was lucky that he'd remembered to wear the denim jacket earlier. 

"Your hair!"

Jinwoo's hair was no longer a sandy blonde, which was obvious from the fringe sticking out of the cap. The soft brown that it was now colored made Myungjun feel warm inside, like the way hot chocolate feels in your stomach on an especially cold day. Jinwoo looked extremely attractive as a blonde but this was something different. A good different, a good thing. 

"Thought I'd go back to dark for a bit. I wasn't sure of the color at first, hence the hat..." Jinwoo laughed sheepishly as he adjusted the hat, his hair settling nicely over his forehead and brows. Yes, the new hair was definitely a good thing.

"So can I have one?" Jinwoo pointed to the container lying on the counter. 

Myungjun felt suddenly conscious about the soggy state of the tarts, the strawberry jelly looking a lot more ominous than it had just moments ago. He turned to Sanha in hopes that the boy would say something, anything, but for once he was busy refilling coffee for another customer. 

"Ha ha ha, I don't think that's such a good idea." Myungjun laughed loudly. "I mean, I didn't completely ruin them this time but they're a little... wet." 

"I'm sure it'll be fine." 

Myungjun shrugged. "I warned you, but be my guest."

He watched in apprehension as Jinwoo took a bite. Jinwoo looked straight into Myungjun's eyes as he chewed, smiling that smile where his eyes turned into crescents and sparkled and-

A flurry of ~~soggy~~  crumbs flew from Jinwoo's mouth as he burst into laughter, much to Myungjun's shock. 

"See! I told you, I warned you." Myungjun scrambled around for a napkin.

"NO, no, it's not that!" Jinwoo reassured Myungjun as he swallowed the bite he'd just taken. "It actually tastes fine. It is a bit soggy, but that can be fixed with maybe an egg wash and a few more minutes in the oven."

Jinwoo took a breath, calming his laughter. "Sorry, I really didn't mean to laugh." Although Jinwoo's expression was now neutral, his eyes continued to smile, which both calmed Myungjun's worry and intrigued him at the same time.

"Ugh, I don't think I can ever come to your bakery again. This is outrageous, terrible, terrible customer service. I'm hurt." Myungjun joked, feigning offense. Jinwoo chuckled. 

"My apologies again. So did you come here for more almond pastries?" 

"Actually no, but now that I'm here maybe I will take some." But Myungjun suddenly remembered the mess he'd left behind at home, and then suddenly remembered the person he'd left waiting at home too. "I actually should get going. I have something I need to get to at home that I'd completely forgotten about. Can I get the pastries to go?" 

"Of course." 

Jinwoo ducked under the counter and pulled out a plastic bag. He placed Myungjun's plastic container of tarts inside before handing it over. "Here. You can take whatever pastries are left. It's on me."

"You gave me a whole bag for free last time, I can't mooch off of you a second time." 

"Don't worry about it, really. I don't give this kind of special treatment to all my customers, you know. You're the only one." Jinwoo's ears turned slightly red in embarrassment at what he'd just said, which made Myungjun want to run over and cuddle him.

Jinwoo tilted his head to the side as the look on his face shifted ever so slightly. The hint of a smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Not that you're the only customer I give special treatment to. The proper explanation is that it's the end of the day and we have leftover pastries. So don't worry about it."

_T_ _hat smile_. Myungjun was melting and wanted to run outside and scream. Or scream first and then melt. It didn't really matter, because either way Jinwoo would still be the most attractive person Myungjun had ever laid eyes on. 

"Right. So I'll just grab some and then get going." Myungjun shrugged, keeping it  _casual_. 

Saying goodbye to Jinwoo, Myungjun kept up the casual and grabbed the leftover almond pastries, placing them into the plastic bag Jinwoo had provided with the utmost care. He was just about to leave when he felt an invisible tug. He wanted to tell himself to shut up and just leave for once but when it came to the urge to flirt, the movement of his mouth preceded his brain's warnings as usual. If this even counted as proper flirting. 

"Jinwoo, the new hair looks good by the way." Myungjun added a grin for good measure, feeling relieved when Jinwoo returned the expression. What came next though, was unexpected.

"I thought you liked my hair better before," Jinwoo replied, "Didn't you tell me that you found my blonde hair attractive?"

Myungjun blinked. Had he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> myungjun... (figuratively) open your eyes!!!!!!  
> jinwoo was made to be a bit unexpectedly straightforward here, but i thought i'd give him the courage to do so given the current situation he's in ;)  
> look out for the next chapter, love you<3


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